I’ve got a problem. Anyone who has read this blog or anything else I’ve written, will understand that I take the Bible seriously. In fact, I take it seriously enough to trust its words over accepted traditions and even doctrines of the Church. And when I do, I don’t do it lightly. So, here I go:

When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.(Genesis 2:5-7 ESV)

Careful study is the key

OK. “So, what’s the problem?” you might be asking yourself. Well, as I was reading my trusty Bible, I made it through the first chapter of Genesis without issue, but then I ran into the above passage in chapter two and I was stopped cold in my tracks, as it were. It says that God created the man who would become Adam “When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up.” The issue is that this places Adam’s creation on the third day of Chapter One, verses 11-13 to be precise.

We could delve into the semantics and translations and perform some word studies here or you can perform a search for good online interlinear Bible (in fact, that would be a good idea). the thing is, though, that I’ve already done all that and what I’ve found is that the sixth day creation of “man” is a generic, plural noun which translates to “mankind”. The word for “the man” in Chapter Two verse seven is a singular, masculine “man”. And, like I said, the description of his surroundings places him on the morning of day three of Creation.

Obviously, my conclusions open up a theological can of worms but so be it. I’m just reporting my observations. I’m open to debate and rebuttal concerning my conclusions. The facts of translation are pretty cut and dry though.

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21 thoughts on “The Day God Created Man: or Don’t Shoot the Messenger”

Sounds like a bonafide eureka moment. Is this one of those creation anachronisms like where light appears on day one and the sun on day four. What kind of seismic shift does this present for your personal theology?

Actually, we see two things happen. “The Man” (later to be known formally as “Adam”) is created on the third day. Humankind is created on the sixth day. One simple thing this does in regards to Scripture is that it explains why Cain is afraid of being killed when he is sent away from God. Scripture jus matter-of-factly includes a host humanity that can only be explained Scripturally by what I am putting forth in this. Anything else (e.g. Adam and Eve had a bunch of other kids before Seth that are not ever mentioned) is pure conjecture.

The seismic shift in theology is that Adam can indeed be seen as a precursre to Christ as the Apostle Paul claims instead of simply God’s failed gardener. Historically, there’s a phenominal shift, as well. We can throw out the idea of a 10,000 year old earth and engage in the idea of a far older earth and humanity.

Now I’m picking up what you put down. I thought maybe you were hedging at this point but I was unsure as it is very radicle. However your interp. actually makes more sense and sits better with me than the traditional view that Adam and Eve were the only two people on earth till the procreated. It is widely known that us moder humans fight internally with the whole where the boys came from, were they sisters in a traditional sense or as you have eluded to here only a spiritual sense.

If we look at just what the Bible says, this all makes sense. The traditional view point assumes a lot, Biblically speaking. This is surprising given the textual evidence and claims of belief in Biblical inerrancy and literal interpretation by many whole cling religiously to the traditional view.

I’m no scholar, but I am familiar with the science of evolution and the Big Bang theory.
In my mind, God’s mind and body IS the Universe as we know it. Matter and energy =
dust and spirit. That would make me a pantheist, except that I also like the arguments
for panantheism.

In His image – His likeness – we look like Him – He must look like us.
So, God is, was, and always has been a being, with the quality of existence in Time,
just as we find ourselves to be. For pantheist, God can be seen as lacking consciousness.
Therefore He/Her/It created beings/creatures (by chance, or happy accident) who would eventually evolve an awareness of themselves a separate individuals, and they would come to realize two facts: their own mortality and the fact that they didn’t create Reality themselves.
I’m guessing, but, in my point of view, Adam was the first human being to gain/evolve conscious awareness. I’ve asked evolutionists if they had any idea just how long ago this might have been. Of course, they don’t know, and we probably never will know who was the first – Adam or Eve?

As a panantheist, I could propose that God used a little bitty part of Himself to create a reality that was separate from Himself. Again, this could have been a happy accident, or a wonderful fault. A woops. A bang, what have you. Perhaps, He doubted His own existence. He had no way to prove it. Turmoil-Chaos-Bang! Now God, conscious of Himself in this case, realized what He had done, and gained a positive reaction. Good came into being as a concept. His first thought/creation was Good.

Then, like a child (if this was indeed His first experience at creating something other than Himself from His own very Self) He started playing with this reality that thickened as it cooled. Eventually, he made a form/figure that He thought was representative of Himself – and called it Adam. Adam needed a Life, so God dreamed up a reality in which Adam could exist and play and create just as He had done. He came up with a Plan, but the only way it would work was if He poured out more of Himself and then ordered this new Reality to conform to specific laws that only He could break. You know, in case He made a mistake and had to fix a thing or two via Divine Intervention. I’m just saying…

God was aware that He had a past, a present, and a future, as would this new Reality. God had to conform to the rule of Time. God needed the help of Time and Distance to cool off this reality of His. He didn’t know He was so hot. God learned to control this fire, and then He knew His power. Perhaps, in imitation of God, Adam was the first to control fire on this material planet. (?)

It’s New Year’s Eve. Pardon me for intruding. I’m blabbing away. I had no idea how tough this would be. I can’t re-write a book of Genesis in a stranger’s blog’s comment section. What was I thinking? I’ll save this and come back to it. If you don’t wish to approve it, I understand. I was bored, and gave it a shot. A bang, what have you. 🙂

Wonderful thoughts. I’m not sure they’re in keeping with the post, however. After all, my contention is that we may use the text of Genesis itself to generate a conclusion that steps outside the box of traditional theology: one that is more in keeping with what is actually written.

I think God is a little bigger than that, uncle, and that He’s always been self aware and had a plan. Science is science and theology is theology. They are mutually exclusive manner of observing creation. I think that the wise person is informed by both siciplines, however. Ignorin either is a dangerous form of ignorance.

I published this a while back but in my current questing mind set, my mind went back to it. It does open up a can of worms but but at the same time it makes one wonder…what if there was a long history that involved humans before Adam and Eve were driven from the garden?

i don’t know who you are,…but I LOVE YOU MAN!!!!!! it’s amazing what we find when we really dig in huh!?!?!?!?!?!? lol,….903 809 3042,……i’d love to chat with you about this,…IN A GOOD AND ENCOURAGING WAY!!!!!!! with the peace that comes along with my faith,…i only like to encourage all or any towards an open mind and heart!!!!!!! and this attitude is when seeking God becomes quite fun!!!!!

I figure that a secure faith allows for questioning anything and everything. If it’s of God, it will hold up to the light of honest scrutiny. I’m not saying that I’m right and anyone who doesn’t believe this post is wrong but know one yet has been able toabsolutely refute this Biblically. Nor does it challenge in anyway any Essential element of Christian faith. But it does answer some often glossed over ‘snags’ inthe Biblical narrative and does an end run around the science vs theology issue. Just saying.

lol,….i like you because you show your humanness!!!!,….as for me “being right???”,..or you “being right???”…..neither of us are!!! lol…we are,…just who we are!!!! lol,….very real humans! as for questioning??? we are told to question the words in the bible as well as the attitudes with which they are presented. (BEREANS)……..

WHEN WE SEEK SOMETHING,….are we not looking for “answers?”….to what???,…well,…in my case,…i must say that i am seeking answers to my “questions”

we are also to confess our faults to each other,….this helps to keep us accepting and concerned and….”human” with each other,….as we journey onward and upward,….into a more loving and stable faith each new day……

and also,…i’m gonna try to find a piece that i posted recently, and share part of it with you here, ok???? i think you may smile,…..as i did when i saw it,……and,…i’m dead serious about givin me a call if you like,…as i’d love to speak “with” you,…..so much gets lost in blogcouragement, ya know????? i hope to speak with you soon!!!

hey christopher,…this began as a comment on someone’s page who was slamming creation disagreement, and agnostics and atheists, who have freewill just like we all do,……..read it light heartedly please,….as i did nor write it to start empty arguments, ok??? i hope that you call,….i had been wantin to speak with ya since i saw yuour post the other night about “questioning jesus” (i think that was the gist of what you had written,….anyway,…hope to toksoon!!!!

Good morning,….this is one of those very tricky, and rather sensitive topics, isn’t it??? lol, which I lol in a good way here! I like “Rich” and “Awa’s” thoughts…..I love mysteries, and puzzles!!! I just do,…I always have! I love discovering how everything fits together perfectly…any and everything is designed to just that, do you agree??? God did not just bumble around and then look at things and say, “wow, I never knew THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN!!!”…..my brother went to a baptist college when he was younger,…in an “educated and logical” (?????? lord help us all!) attempt to dismiss the dinosaurs,…the teacher told his students that satan put their bones here to deceive us??? big LOL ON THAT ONE!!! right???…..

Honest truth is this,…had I been going to that class,…by the time that I left,…the teacher would be have been wondering where he could get an application to work as a meet and greet guy at wal-mart!!!! LOL! What I mean is,…if this teacher is presenting, argumentative evidence to build a case for me to become a Christian on,…and “that was all he had to offer me, show me, and prove to me” (and all others) then I would have left as a non-believer,……case dismissed. There is a factual saying, which is,……EVIDENCE, DEMANDS A VERDICT……This is how a trial in a courtroom works….no good and solid evidence,…no case,…right?????

Now,…I gotta say this,…I am a firm believer in God,…and I am a firm believer in Jesus as well…but,…truth is,…as far as the evolution “theory/concept/fact” it would in no way damage my faith in the slightest. why would it, is my question?

One of “Adam’s” grandson’s (tubalCAIN) was clearly stated in genesis as being a founder of the “Bronze Age”,…which was roughly six thousand years ago.…“prior” to this,…the stone age.…“after” bronze came the iron age…..all of the dates are clearly recorded. That said,…Why would I deny any thing at all that was here before us? the (very meticulously) recorded dates from Adam on up to Noah, and then on up to Jesus……perfectly fit the time frame pertaining to the bronze age dating.

If we are to appear to be sensible and rational in our belief,…are we doing so if we deny historical evidence. if we do not seek to find how everything fits together??? I know for a fact that dinosaurs existed. why deny it? our saving faith is based on what God for us all through Jesus, correct??? in knowing and accepting what we believe concerning Jesus,….then are we not truly free to seek to see how all fits perfectly together?
I, for one,…believe that we are. and this is part of what makes my faith exciting. our faith is about how the “natural and the spiritual” work in Unison,…the spirit of God,…residing inside of human flesh,…agreed???

THE COOL THING IS,…AND THIS IS WHERE THE VERY FIRST ILLUSTRATION OF “FAITH” COMES FROM IN THE BIBLE, IS THIS,…

WE ARE NEVER TOLD WHERE GOD COMES FROM, ARE WE??? (the rest i also have if you would like me to email you the rest,….let me know………there is quite the unique, yet very human conversation with many others included as well…..take care

That was good. A friend of mine in seminary used to give a certain professor fits occasionally over our questions. He was in no way like the above guy. He’s pretty brilliant actually and gave back as good or better…. One day, for instance he was describing Tiilch’s theology (which we all knew he was, rightly opposed to) and he did such a good job that we started chanting Tillich! Tillich! Tillich! … He just sid “No” andshook his head…. classic. He did know we were messing with him though.

What was disappointing was that some of our classmates didn’t realize we were joking.

The point I guess is that one can be intelligent and even knowledgeable and still use ones brain.

as to explain why i said about “the devil dinosaur bone teacher” is this……i would be thinking of the “others” in the class that would and could be affected in such a “neglectful” manner…….but,…at the same time,…i would also be thinking of the “teacher???”…..as obviously he “learned” his “satan is tricking us” theory somewhere,…..as i had written in the long writing i posted in your comment space,….even if we “did” descend” from apes,…it would not hurt my faith at all,….adam as the first man of God,..is where “sin” entered into man,….etc, etc,…..

for a non believer who may truly be searching for God,..in whatever way,…he is using his mind,….as we are encouraged to use our minds as well,……..there was a scripture where i believe it was paul said,….you forget what manner of man you are (or were) as you behold your face in the mirror darkly…….to me,….there are a couple of meanings/interpretations/whatever,…….i have known many who have said that they believe in God,…and that they are “saved”,…..because they don’t want to,…or,…don’t know how to,…admit they they are a sinner,…or sinful,…or selfish,…or imperfect,….or,…just plain old HUMAN (as all the before mentioned terms are summed up in that one word…good old “humans”….

so,….sadly,….we can, and all too shortly,…after becoming a “believer” start to rag down,…and rag on,…who we “were” just “yesterday!!!!!!”……..thus,…the term,…(and not a term of FLATTERY, that’s for sure)…..HOLIER THAN THOU comes from….

i will continue to be me,…as a human,….who, since i “believe in God and Jesus, is saved………………….but,….even then,…….i’m still gonna be a human,…..God is also about peace and joy,….(among other things) when i start to feel my peace and joy waning,……i DOUBLE CHECK (AND TRIPLE CHECK) WHERE I’M AT,….WHO “I” AM,…AND HOW I RELATE TO MY FELLOW MAN!!!!……when we do this,…THIS WHEN WE KNOW GOD,….BY LOVING ALL OTHERS……………..

earlier the was a comment about someone having said that “he speaks for all born again believers???” if a agnostic or atheist reads those words,…how would “he” feel as far as being allowed and encouraged to “think and speak” for himself???? do you see what i mean???? i don’t want to do that people…..as i don’t want it done to me.

i see God in my life,…but i always remember to see “me” in my life as well,….and in honest way,…and an honest view,………..i love people who ask questions,…whether they agree with what is written in the bible,..or not,……….i need to enjoy my life,….and i do “now” through my faith,………whether i have learned a little,…or a lot,……i have said this before,…it is not “what” we know,…..but as Jesus Himself said,…it is “who” we know……….”love one another,..as i have loved you”

if i was an atheist (and i speak solely for myself here!) if i found acceptance, tolerance, patience, love, understanding, encouragement, etc,…through the “mouths/hearts/spirits/lives of “christians”,…(especially those claiming to be) i’d be much more inclined to consider believing In God,…than i may have previously, ya know????…..i have heard the if you don’t believe in God you are going to hell stuff all of my life!!!!!!!!!!……….most of my life,….with a weak,…yet real faith,…was hell!!!!!!!……this is what i needed the escape from,…..which,…i have now. where there was hopelessness,…there is now hope,…and a practical and lively faith.

whether God is real,…or isn’t,…..i have life now,…where before,…i had a huge hole in my life,….where i felt the pain that darkness brings……..that’s all for now,……..you all have a great night!!!!!! toksoon!!!!!!!

That was true on so many levels, my friend. Very close to some of my many musing of late as well.

Here’s a point to ponder that relates to the post above… When one lays the two creation stories side by side or one on top of the other it’s a wonderful speculation to think that on the seventh day of creation, just before God was satisfied, and rested, He created Eve. To me, that’s a beautiful and profound act of completion.